Tough Love
by drangel
Summary: Caitlin gets into a little trouble with her new boyfriend. Will Jim and Dori beable to help her before it's to late?
1. Trouble in Paradise

**Chapter One Trouble in paradise**

"Caitlin time to get up" yelled Dori through her bedroom door. She grumbled as she looked at the clock next to her bed. 7:00am the bus didn't come until 8 she thought as she staggered out of her bed to the bathroom. 35 minutes later she walked into the kitchen where everyone was sitting down at the table for breakfast. She sat down across from Jim and began to eat.

"So Griffin tells us that there's a big History exam today. How do you think your going to do on it?" asked Jim

"I don't know" Caitlin responded starting to eat faster so they couldn't go into lecture mode.

"Did you study?" asked Dori

"Um…a little" she said drinking the last of her juice.

"Caitlin how do you expect to pass if you don't study?" Dori asked as Caitlin stood up.

"Sorry I'd love to sit here and listen to you complain about my grades, but I have better things to do," she said walking out of the kitchen.

Caitlin was walking down the hall to her locker when Will walked up to her. "Hey Babe"

"hey hun what's up?"

"Nothing just dreading that History exam 3rd period."

"yeah me too, Dori started lecturing me about studying but I just kind of walked out on her." Caitlin said as she began digging through her locker.

"Yea, I don't get why we have to now that crap. I mean I'm never going to use this crap that I learned about pyramids in the real world!"

"I know…" she said slamming her locker shut and beginning the walk to her first class.

"You know if there is ways we can get out of the test"

"You mean like ditch?"

"yea, just 3rd hour go for a drive or something."

"Hell yea!"

"Cool, meet me at you locker then after 2nd hour."

"alight bye." They shared a quick kiss before going there separate ways.

After 2nd hour Caitlin approached her locker to see Will waiting for her. "Hey you ready?" he asked as she opened her locker to put her books away. They walked out to the parking lot and got into his car. "So where do you want to go?" he asked as they pulled out of the school parking lot.

"Where is there to go?"

"Well I don't think it would be safe to stay in town so I think we should just drive around for a bit."

"Yea if Jim found out I was ditching school, he'd flip." 10 minutes later they pulled onto a dirt road and parked the car. They talked and kissed for about 20 minutes before they had to start heading back to school.

After school Caitlin was walking to her locker, when her 3rd hour history teacher saw her. "Ms. Seeger may I ask why you missed my exam today?" He asked.

"I was sick" she lied

"So you got sick after 2nd hour and better before 3rd hour? Amazing. Well if you don't get your absence excused by tomorrow, you won't have a chance to make up that test," he said before turning and walking away.

After going to her locker Caitlin was heading out to the parking lot to meet Griffin for a ride home when Will saw her. "Hey babe wanna hang with me tonight?"

"sure, we just need to find Griffin to tell him I don't need a ride." They walked out into the parking lot and found Griffin and his friend Eric. "Griffin, I'm going with Will tonight so I don't need a ride." she said as she began walking away.

"You know your going to get in trouble for not telling mom or dad where your going." Griffin yelled.

"So tell them that I'm going out with Will." She yelled back getting into Will's car.

Griffin and Eric got into Griffin's beat up car and headed towards Eric's house. "I don't get what she sees in that kid, he's just trouble. He's been arrested so many times and he's just trouble" said Griffin.

"Its probably familiar territory for her, I mean she's been in her share of trouble too. " replied Eric. They continued the rest of the drive just listening to the stereo.

When Griffin got home he was relieved that neither of his parents were home. He didn't want to have to deal with their questions of where Caitlin was. His happiness was short lived as his mom drove up the drive way. "Griffin, Caitlin I'm home." she yelled as she walked in the door.

"I'm in here mom" he yelled from the living room.

"Where is Caitlin?"

"I don't know, she got a ride with Will after school." he said as he went up to his room to avoid further questioning.

Two hours later Caitlin walked in to see everyone eating dinner. She walked up to her room, set her bag down and walked back down to the kitchen. "Caitlin where have you been?" asked Dori.

"I was out with Will I told Griffin to tell you"

"That's not how it works around here and you know it. If you want to go out you tell me where and with who you are going out with"

"We went to his place and hung out for awhile, happy now?"

"Caitlin loose the attitude" Jim said sternly.

"Whatever I'm going to my room" she stomped up the stairs. Checking to make sure no one has left the kitchen table she picked up the phone and called Will.

"Hello?"

"Hey"

"Oh Hey babe, what' up? Miss me already?"

"Yea that's why I was wondering if you could come pick me up?"

"Um..yea I guess I could, why what's going on?"

"I just need to get out of here. But do me a favor and meet me at the end of the driveway."

"Oh sneaking out I see. I'll be there in like 15 minutes."

"Ok thanks" She hung up and started packing some clothes. Checking again that everyone was still at the table, she opened her window and climbed out onto the porch roof. Quietly crawling to the edge she threw her bag down and jumped. Listening to make sure no one was coming to see what the noise was she ran to the end of the drive way.

After the dishes were done Dori sat next to her husband at the table. "I think I'm going to go check on Caitlin." She walked up the stairs and knocked on the door. "Caitlin?" She knocked again before walking in to find the room empty. "Jim is Caitlin down there?" she yelled down the stairs.

"No she hasn't came down since dinner."

"She's not here" she said as she sat herself down next her Jim again. "I don't know what's gotten into her lately. I thought she was straightening out, then this. Do you think its Will?"

"You know how I fee about Will. I've had him in the back of my squad car so many times he could call it home. I didn't' want her with him in the first place, but the more we say no the more we're going to push her away and she's going to run to him. Eventually she will see him for who he really is, or she will join him."

The next day at school Griffin saw Caitlin at her locker. "You have no idea how worried mom and dad are! Mom wanted dad to call in a missing person's report but you have to be gone for 24 hours before they consider you missing. Where were you?"

"I was at Will's."

"You have to come home tonight or they are going to consider you a runaway."

"If I was a runaway would I come to school?" she said as she walked away.

The rest of the day went by quickly and soon Caitlin was sitting in her 7th hour Trig class. She was staring out the window when she heard the teacher call her name. She looked up to see the principle standing at the door waiting for her. She got up grabbed her things and walked out. "Ms. Seeger there is someone here to see you" he said as he walked her down to his office. When they walked into the office she saw Jim waiting there for her. "Thank you Mr. Larson I'll take it from here," said Jim. They started walking back out the door.

"What are you doing here?" asked Caitlin.

"I'm here to make sure you make it home tonight."

"Why so you guys can yell at me some more? Thanks, but no thanks I think I'll pass." she said turning and walking the other way.

"Caitlin you can do this the easy way or the hard way, its your choice but either way your coming home."

"I need to go to my locker I'll meet you at your car."

"I think I'll go with you just to make sure"

"School is almost out and the last thing I need is for everyone to see me being escorted by a cop." she said looking at him with pleading eyes.

"Fine 5 minutes or I'm coming to get you" he said as he walked out to his car. Caitlin ran to her locker as the bell rang and got everything she needed. She ran to the parking lot to find Will.

"Will we need to go now." she said getting into his car.

"Okay babe, what's the rush?

"Jim is looking for me." At hearing this he nodded and peeled out of the parking lot. 5 minutes later they were far away from the school. They were driving along listening to the radio, when Will saw flashing lights in his review mirror.

"Shit." He said as he pulled over. The officer came up to the window. "Is there a problem officer?"

The officer looked into the car. "Caitlin Seeger?"

"Yea" she said.

"Please step out of the vehicle." he said walking to the passengers side of the car. "Put your hands on top the of car" He walked behind her and grabbed one of her hands pulling it behind her back and placing a handcuff around it, followed by the other. He quickly searched her pockets before leading her back to his car, and placing her in the back. Once she was in his car, he walked back up to Will and asked to see his license.

"What did we do wrong sir?" asked Will.

"Nothing but there was a missing person's report put out and she was last seen in this car" he handed back his license, and told him that he was free to go. Will drove off leaving his girlfriend behind.

Once they got to the Lowe Ranch the officer helped her out of the car and walked her up to the door. Jim answered. "Hey Joe. Good you found her."

"Yea driving down a back road." he said as he took the handcuffs off.

"I'm going to my room" said Caitlin as she walked inside.

"No your going to wait in the Kitchen and I'll be there in a minute." said Jim. "Well thank you Joe, I'll let you get back to work now."

Caitlin was sitting at the table drinking coke when Jim came back in. "I told you it could be easy or hard. You could have just come with me and I would of let you sit in the front, but you choose to do it the hard way." he said sitting across from her.

"You shouldn't have to sent the cops after me!"

"You shouldn't have ran off yesterday when you were already in trouble for not telling us where you were in the first place, you shouldn't have skipped school yesterday!" He said his voice rising.

"Well I'm sorry to have ruined your perfect family!" she yelled standing from her chair.

"Caitlin Seeger sit down now, we are not finished here." she paused to way her options before sitting back down.

"Your grounded for 3 weeks. No phone no going anywhere other than school, no computer."

"Whatever, you done now?"

"Go to your room we'll talk more when Dori gets home."


	2. Secrets Part 1

**Chapter 2 Secrets part one**

"Dori, Jim I know you said I was grounded and that I couldn't go anywhere but school, but I was wondering if you could find it in your hearts to let me ride Bandit for an hour or two today?" Caitlin asked as she came into the kitchen. Dori and Jim looked at each other.

"We'll talk about it and let you know later." said Jim.

'That's better than a straight out no' she thought to herself. She walked into Griffin's room. "Hey Griff, what are you doing today?"

"Eric and I are going to hang out, maybe catch a movie. Nothing big." he responded not taking his eyes off the computer screen.

'Good so he's not going to the school year kickoff party' she thought.

After thinking it over Jim and Dori decided to let her go riding for 2 hours. Caitlin grabbed Griffin's cell phone as she left his room, and now she was calling Will as she saddled Bandit up. "Hello?"

"Hey stranger"

"Babe, I thought you were grounded off the phone?"

"I am, the house phone, they never said I was grounded off cell phones."

"Oh, so what's up?"

"I'm getting ready to take Bandit out"

"Oh…you wanna meet somewhere?"

"Sure, then we can go to that party."

"Aren't you grounded?"

"Are you coming or not?"

"Yea I'll meet you outside Anderson's Bar."

"Alight see you there."

Caitlin rode Bandit through the field like normal then when she was out of sight turned to cross the road heading into town.

2 hours later Jim and Dori were on the porch looking for any sign of Caitlin and Bandit. "I knew this was a bad idea. What are we going to do with her?" said Dori.

"I don't know."

Caitlin rode up the drive way and to the stables. "Tonight was great" she said to herself as she unsaddled Bandit.

"Oh please tell me about your great night" said Jim from behind her.

"Jim hi…"

"In the house now" he said sternly. They walked back up to the house. Once they were both in the house Jim lead her to the kitchen and sat down at the table. "I don't know what's going on with you Caitlin. First you skip school, then you run away, now your lying to us and sneaking off. What's going on?" He asked running a hand through his hair.

"Nothing's going on."

"Then please tell me why your doing this, why are you acting out like this?"

"This is who I am take it or leave it."

"We're not going to deal with this Caitlin."

"Then call up the social worker and tell her you've had enough." She said standing up.

"Caitlin you are part of this family and we stick together. We are not going to send you away just because you're making a few mistakes in your life. You've had a tough life, we never expected you to be perfect." He looked up and met her eyes. "I'm worried about you. You are heading down a path that's going to get you in a lot of trouble. As a sheriff I know this, as your guardian it scares the hell out of me." He put his head in his hands. The look in his eyes and the words hit Caitlin hard. She knew that they cared and that they wanted to help her from the beginning but, her life was to screwed up. They didn't even know the half of it. For the first time in the six months that she's been there she apologized for all the trouble she's caused. "I think that you, Dori, and I should all sit down and talk. We want to help you Caitlin.

Later that night she was laying on her bed when she decided to write in her journal. She only wrote in it when she was really lost.

Dear Diary,

I'm so confused. Ever since my mom died I was numb to the world. Getting into trouble was like my escape. It was a way for me to let out how I felt, how much I hated the world around me. I can't control my life anymore. It's like I'm outside looking in watching my life fall apart piece by piece.

Jim and Dori are trying to help me, but the closer they get the more I push them away. I'm afraid to get close to them. Last time I was close to someone, I ended up alone in a foster home. I'm not going to let that happen again!

By the time she was done writing, she felt tears welling in her eyes. 'I will not cry I will not cry' she told herself. She went to her bathroom and grabbed a razor that she kept in her medicine cabinet. She slide down the door and once she was sitting on the floor she pulled up her sleeve. On her arms there was old scares, fresh cuts, and half healed cuts. Putting the blade to her skin, she pressed it in and pulled it making another vertical slash on her arm. Letting the blood fall from her arm onto the floor she made three more vertical slashes before putting a rag on it to stop the bleeding. She grabbed some gauze pads and medical tape and bandaged her arm up before going to bed. She's been doing this a lot lately. She started when she was 12 years old, so she was an expert on how deep to go, how much blood to loose, and how to fix it up, and hide the scars.


	3. Secrets Part 2

**Chapter 3 Secrets part 2**

The next morning Caitlin woke up to someone knocking on her door. "Come in" she called from her bed.

"Hey, I just wanted to make sure you were up." Said Dori.

"Yea I'll be down in a few minutes" she called to Dori's retreating back. Caitlin went to the bathroom and took the bandages off her arm. She walked down stairs and sat down at the table.

"Caitlin we need to talk." Said Jim setting the newspaper down.

"So talk," she said playing with the food in front of her.

"You broke are trust Caitlin. We trusted you when you said you just wanted to go out and ride Bandit. Now you won't be riding him at all unless its with one of us. You're grounded for at least two months. Starting off you're grounded from everything and we'll see how you are doing to see if you get the phone or TV back." Said Dori. "So that means that until we feel that we can trust you again, you will not be left here alone."

"That's so unfair!" exclaimed Caitlin.

"Life's not fair Caitlin." Stated Jim.

"Come on Caitlin we're going to be late" yelled Griffin from the living room. Caitlin got up and put her plate in the sink.

"And you're riding home with Griffin every night unless instructed otherwise, understand?"

"Sure." She said as she walked out to Griffin's car.

As they pulled into the school parking lot Caitlin saw Will. She rolled down her window and as she waved her sleeve came up revealing her fresh new cuts along with old scars. "What the hell happened to your arm?!" yelled Griffin.

"Nothing" she stated as she got out of the car and ran over to Will. "Hey baby" she said kissing him.

"Hey. Did you get in trouble for last night?" he asked.

"Yeah grounded for 2 months!"

"I'm sorry babe" he said putting his arm around her and leading her into the school.

After school she met Will at her locker and they walked to the parking lot together. When they reached Griffin's car they kissed before she got into the car.

After they dropped Eric off Griffin started questioning her. "Caitlin what happened to your arm?"

"I already told you nothing" she said her anger rising.

"That didn't look like nothing"

"Look mind your own business for once" she yelled as she turned to look out the window.

As soon as they got to the Lowe Ranch Caitlin jumped out of the car to avoid any further questioning.

Caitlin spent all that night in her room listening to music, and out side taking pictures.

"Caitlin would you like to go for a ride with Jim and I?" asked Dori after dinner.

"Um…sure" she said wanted to get out of the house. They all went out and saddled up there horses and rode off. The conversation was light. Mostly about there days. When they arrived at the River they decided to give the horses a rest so they sat down on the river bank to talk.

"Caitlin Griffin told us about what he saw this morning." Said Dori. Caitlin froze. She didn't know what to say or do. She was trapped.

"I don't know what your talking about" she finally said.

"Caitlin can we please see your arms?" asked Jim. Caitlin had had enough. She got up jumped on Bandit and rode as fast as she could.

"Go home I'll go after her." Jim said as he got on his horse and rode after Caitlin.


End file.
